Revolution later

Wellington Park Adventures: Part 3

Finding a little spare time I thought I should probably catch up with writing this blog. Unfortunately, these photos were taken in late October so I can’t really provide the comprehensive narrative I usually would. Instead, I’ll mostly just try to caption these photos appropriately.

Hobart, Tasmania. The Wellington Park Management Trust specify a few suggested paths through the myriad trails that traverse Mount Wellington. On the day in question, I decided to combine the first and second trails, allowing me to see Silver Falls, O’Grady’s Falls, Radfords Monument and Rocky Whelan’s Cave.

My path through the Mt Wellington Reserve

Starting from the parking area at Fern Tree, I took the Pipeline Track to Silver Falls. The trail is interrupted by thick water pipes, both old and new, carving their way through the forest surroundings. The path is fairly level and wide here, clearly well-trod and suitable for walkers of any age. At the Fern Tree Bower, signs beside the decaying remains of a building depict the location as a once popular picnic location for genteel folk, when Hobart was still a young British colony.

Heading towards Silver Falls

Just off to the side of the track, heading towards Silver Falls

Heading towards Silver Falls

A shallow incline led further through the forest to Silver Falls. A steel bridge crosses a pool in front of a modest waterfall, the scene a clash of man-made trappings versus tumultuous forest surroundings. Signs and a locked gate interrupt a small path by the top of the waterfall, declaring it a restricted area for city water collection.

Between that and my visual memory, I don’t think I found the waterfall particularly remarkable. Guide Falls was much better.. I remember musing that if the upper level of the river were accessible, it might be an ideal shooting location with a model, albeit that would be risking a significant fine..

From this point, the track climbs sharply towards an intersection with the Middle Island Track, then on to a vibrant intersection with the Fern Glade Track.

The Fern Glade Track

An intersection with the Fern Glade Track

I took the path north towards the Woods Track, noticing the Radford Monument – a small plaque at a narrow intersection of trails, telling the tale of a marathon runner who perished some years ago, attempting to climb the mountain. The following landmark, Rocky Whelan’s Cave, I don’t remember, and I have no photos, so I’m assuming it wasn’t particularly interesting.

At the decline of the Woods Track, I met the intersection leading to O’Grady’s Falls, taking a short detour to meet a suspended bridge watching over a waterfall nestled in the hillside.

Beside the falls

I clambered down the steep slope to take shots from the water. It was beautiful down there, and perilous attempting to clutch my camera while hopping and slipping through the river and across the rocks. The waterfall itself wasn’t the most amazing I’d seen, albeit the location was nice. It’s fixed in my mind as a fantastic place to bring a willing model and perhaps try to catch a wider view of the waterfall. It would be a decent backdrop for say, a fantasy shot of a water nymph, or the cliche shot of the smoldering girl, hair and clothing drenched from the spray. Given the location, it would probably be simpler to shoot something completely original.

O’Grady’s Falls

I returned via O’Grady’s Falls Track towards Bracken Lane. The path was much more open, taking in a fire trail with cleared, open surroundings with distant views of the city. I recall a clearing by Bracken Lane resembling an old street intersection thoroughly taken back by the forest. If it were permissible, that is the one place I would go camping in Wellington Park. I’m sad I didn’t catch a photo. The track goes on to intersect with the nearby road through the Fern Tree neighbourhood. With the cluster of tracks spanning out from Fern Tree, you could take any number of routes through the surrounding forest and barely touch the mountain.